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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bowl · trunk · stock · object · bass · pit · fine · racket

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. pit — a hole
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. stock — goods
  7. bass — low music
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. fine — all right
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. object — to protest
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. pit — in a race
  18. object — a thing
  19. stock — shares
  20. bass — the fish
  21. fine — high quality
  22. object — an aim
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. fine — a penalty

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com